Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 14 July 2013 Saint Luke Church, Whitestone, New York From the Desk of Msgr. Tosi--- And who is my neighbor? (Luke 10:25-37) We are pleased to welcome Father Tom Tureman, SDS to our parish this weekend. Father is a member of the Society of the Divine Savior, popularly known as Salvatorians, who will speak at all the Masses on the missionary work of his community. The question posed to Jesus in today s Gospel, And who is my neighbor? was answered by the Lord in the Parable of the Good Samaritan; it is also lived in the work of the Salvatorians who minister throughout the world in Africa, Asia, South America, Europe, Australia, in Canada and in our own country. This missionary work clearly teaches the answer to the question - And who is my neighbor? And so, please welcome Father to our parish. I know you will listen to Father and respond generously to his appeal for your financial support of the missionary work of his society in the special collection to be taken up at Mass. And please keep Father and his community and their many works in your prayers. We here at Saint Luke have a special bond with the Salvatorians. Father Peter Coffey who has been so generous in his retirement to assist us at Mass on so many occasions - weekdays and Sundays - is a member of the Society of the Divine Savior. Over the years Father Coffey, SDS has become a part of our parish family and of great help. We are so grateful that Father Coffey continues to share his priestly ministry with us. May our generous response to this missionary appeal not only be a way to support the missions, but a thank you for the ministry of Father Coffey. God bless. Let us pray for one another, To those who responded to my appeal to increase their weekly offering. Last week s collection was a little higher than in the weeks past. Please consider joining your fellow parishioners by making an increase of whatever amount to your weekly donation. Your generosity can make a big difference. We need your help. With gratitude and confidence for your goodness. Msgr. Tosi Page 1
MISSION STATEMENT As a community of believers in Jesus Christ and in Communion with the universal church, we strive to follow the Lord s command to love God and one another. Rooted in word and sacrament, we grow together as a Eucharistic community inviting all to the Good News of Jesus. During the summer months of July & August the Rectory Office will be open according to the following schedule: Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday & Thursday 9:00am to 5:00pm No Evening Hours Friday - Saturday & Sunday No Office Hours During non Office hours please call ahead to make an appointment with a priest. Thank you for your cooperation in and understanding of these new hours for the Rectory Office. This new schedule will begin Monday, July 1st and go until September 2nd. We will return to normal Rectory Office hours on Tuesday, September 3rd. Emergency sick calls requiring a priest can be made at any time by calling the Rectory. **************************************************************************** LET THERE BE LIGHT! An important part of the restoration of the church is the installation of a new lighting system. Hopefully such a system will not only beautify the church but even more importantly help us see better in what is at times a dark church. However, due to budget restrictions we were able to install only half the system. So once again I am asking you to complete the lighting by giving part of the system in memory of or in honor of a loved one. This is how it will work: Available as memorials will be: Downlights: Uplights: 8 bays of Downlights at $6,500 each bay 6 bays of Uplights at $6,300 each bay Although not a traditional item for a memorial, providing part of the new lighting system will enhance the church - and each time turned on, the lights will call to mind and prayer your loved one - and your generosity which made it possible. If you are interested, please call Msgr. Tosi at the rectory. SPEAKING OF LIGHTS -- When the church was last renovated the original transept lights were removed and replaced by a more contemporary cylinder fixture of brushed gold. Before the convent was taken down the original fixtures were found in the convent basement. They were removed and it is hoped to restore them to the church. Page 2
SUNDAY COLLECTION July 6 & 7 $11,068 Envelopes Mailed 1,959 Amount Needed $13,425 Envelopes Received 558 PARISH CALENDAR -- Renewing Our Faith Through Acts of Charity --- A word of thanks to those who have already responded to the request of the Bishop to support the 2013 Annual Catholic Appeal. Your generous gift will enable us to meet our parish goal of $100,508 while funds collected over goal will support our parish campaign of restoration and renewal of our parish buildings. Allow me to express my own gratitude for your gift to the Appeal especially in light of our ongoing Capital Campaign. I am humbled by your goodness and support. Please accept my gratitude and promise of prayers. As of July 10th, $75,601 has been pledged by 273 donors with $59,201 already received. God bless, Msgr. Tosi At this time no reservations for events are being taken in the parish calendar. Due to the restoration work of our parish buildings, we are unable to take any requests for the use of meeting space. We will reconsider this decision after Labor Day. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated. ************************************ DON T TAKE A VACATION FROM MASS Find a Mass anywhere in the world with masstimes.org Finding a place to attend Mass while far from home may often not be easy, but with the help of some advance planning, we can usually find one wherever we may go. The website www.masstimes.org has a listing of Mass schedules in parishes throughout the United States. Also, most tourist friendly places readily offer information as to the location of the nearest Catholic Church. Have a wonderful summer! VOCATION CORNER --- What must I do to inherit eternal life? Faithfulness to one s vocation is essential to holiness. Is yours to be a priest, deacon, sister or brother? Contact the Vocation Office at (718) 827-2454 or email: vocations@diobrook.org. Page 3
WE NEED YOUR HELP! JUST A REMINDER -- Now that the warm weather is back with the arrival of summer, please remember to come to church properly attired. How we dress for church shows our love, respect and reverence for the house of God and the sacred rites being celebrated. What may be appropriate for other places is often not appropriate for church. And the school hall is air-conditioned! Your generosity to the parish is well known and I have on numerous occasions expressed my thanks for your ongoing support and love. We have been able to do so much only because of your enthusiasm and goodness to the church. In all of this we trust in God and praise and thank Him for His blessings to us individually and as a parish. I come to ask your help - you who are the family of Saint Luke Parish. Although collections have gone down for a variety of reasons - and usually are lower in July and August, our bills remain the same and grow higher. The parish is very much like your home - bills never take a vacation. So - if possible, could I ask that you consider an increase in your weekly donation at least until we return to the church and summer is over? This would be of great assistance in meeting the many outstanding financial obligations and unpaid bills of the parish. Please - if you can help - consider an increase of whatever amount to the Sunday collection. Once again, I come to you confident and thankful for your goodness and generosity. Msgr. Tosi Page 4
PRE-BAPTISM PROGRAM --- When preparing for the Baptism of your child, parents must attend a Pre-Baptism Class for their first and second child only. Godparents are welcome to attend. The class is held once a month usually on the third Monday night of the month in the rectory at 7:30pm. The Baptismal Liturgy is usually celebrated on the second and fourth Sunday of the month at 3pm. No Baptism can take place until the church receives a copy of the child s Birth Certificate as required by the diocese. If you are planning a Baptism, please note the following dates: Baptism Sunday Baptism Class July 14 & 28 July 15 August 11 & 25 August 19 September 8 & 22 September 16 All baptisms are taking place in the School Hall until September due to the renovation of the church. Permission letters will be given to those who wish to baptize their child in another church. However, they still need to attend the Pre-Baptism Class which is required in order to give the letter of permission. For more information, please call the rectory at 718-746-8102. Page 5
OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL FEAST DAY MASS You are invited to A Mass in Honor of OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL which will be held at Saint Luke in the School Hall on TUESDAY, JULY 16 at 12 Noon Please join us for refreshments in the school cafeteria after Mass. All are welcome! Page 6
Pope Francis Homily at Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae on Thursday, 20 June 2013 PRAY OUR FATHER There is no need to fritter away words in order to pray; the Lord knows what we want to say to him. The important thing is that our first word be Father. Jesus advice to the Apostles was what Pope Francis, in turn, offered during the homily at Mass on Thursday morning, 20 June, in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae. Concelebrating, among others, was Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, who was accompanied by some staff from the dicastery. Thus the Pontiff repeated Jesus advice to the Apostles when he gave them the Our Father, according the Evangelist Matthew s account (6:7-15). In order to pray, there is no need to make noise or believe that it is better to use more words. There is no need to trust in noise, the noise of worldliness which Jesus pointed out, to sound the trumpet or making oneself seen while fasting. To pray, the Holy Father repeated, there is no need to heap up empty phrases: Jesus called this a characteristic of pagans. Pope Francis went further, confirming that prayer must not be considered a magic formula: Praying is not something magic; one doesn t practice magic with prayer. As he often does, he recounted his personal experience. He said that he never turned to sorcerers who promise magic; rather he knew what happened in meetings of this sort: many words are used to obtain healing one time and at another time something else with the help of magic. However, he warned, this is pagan. So how should we pray? Jesus has taught us: he says that the Father who is in heaven knows what you need before you ask him. Therefore, let our first word be Father. This is the key to prayer. Without speaking, without feeling this word, praying is not possible, the Bishop of Rome explained. Then he asked: To whom do I pray? The almighty God? He is too far away. I don t feel him; neither did Jesus feel him. To whom do I pray? The God of the cosmos? This is quite frequent nowadays, isn t it? Praying to the cosmic God. This polytheistic model comes with a superficial culture. Rather, we must pray to the Father, who begot us. But this is not all: we must pray our Father. That is, not the Father of a generic and too anonymous all, but the One who begot you, who gave you life, who gave life to you and me. Courtesy of the English edition of L Osservatore Romano Page 7
FUNERAL UPDATE -- Recently a check in the amount of $3,000 was prepared and sent through the cooperation of the Consulate General of Italy here in Manhattan to the Italian Funeral Home in Vittoria, Ragusa, Italy to cover expenses for the funeral and burial of Emanuele Peluso. Once again your generosity has made this act of kindness possible. As of this date, a balance of $1,741 remains. If no additional funds are needed, the leftover donation will be sent to the Diocesan Saint Vincent de Paul Society to assist in their program which aids those in the diocese who need help to cover burial expenses. Thank you for your goodness which makes all this possible. **************************************************************************** ARE YOU A REGISTERED PARISHIONER? It only takes a few minutes to become part of our growing, vibrant community and it s easy! Stop by the rectory and pick up a census card. You can fill it out on the spot or take it with you. Then either return it to the rectory in person, by mail or in the Sunday collection basket. You will then receive weekly offering envelopes by mail. Page 8
ENSURING THE FUTURE OF YOUR CHURCH -- Saint Luke Parish relies on your goodness and generosity to ensure that the mission and ministry of Jesus continues here in Whitestone. A charitable bequest is an excellent way to create a lasting memorial. Many of our parishioners use their wills or living trusts to make their most generous gifts. Please remember us when you create yours. THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL GIVES BACK St. Luke Church should share in the profits for each car, truck or van, running or not. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will give back to our church $50/$100 per vehicle. Maybe you don t have a vehicle, but a family member, friend or neighbor has an old or neglected vehicle in their driveway that they would like to dispose of. Call the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at (718) 491-2525. Thank you for your participation Page 9
SCRIPTURE READINGS Mon. - Ex 1:8-14,22; Mt 10:34-11:1 Tues. - Ex 2:1-15a; Mt 11:20-24 Wed. - Ex 3:1-6,9-12; Mt 11:25-27 Thurs. - Ex 3:13-20; Mt 11:28-30 Fri. - Ex 11:10-12:14; Mt 12:1-8 Sat. - Ex 12:37-42; Mt 12:14-21 WE PRAY FOR THE SICK OF THE PARISH: JENNIE ROMANO LOUIS FIAMMA THOMAS GEORGE BREEN FRANCIS McKENNA ANNA PUMA ELIZABETH LEA MELKUN AND FOR THE DECEASED: MARIA COSTELLO PAUL RICE ANNOUNCED MASSES FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 15, 2013 Monday, July 15 7:00 Josette Tanzola (1st Anniversary) 12:00 Frane & Ana Zulic Tuesday, July 16 8:30 Gino Bako (1st Anniversary) 12:00 For the People of the Parish In Honor of O.L. of Mt. Carmel Wednesday, July 17 7:00 Milded Platt (nee McCormack) & deceased family members 12:00 Gilda & Carlo Bonetti Thursday, July 18 8:30 Mary Morelli (Anniversary) 12:00 Grace Melotin (Anniversary) Friday, July 19 7:00 Arselia Rinf 12:00 John Sena (Anniversary) Saturday, July 20 8:30 Gino Bako Page 10
SUMMER CAMPS AT ST. AGNES ACADEMIC HIGH SCHOOL, College Point Dance Camp for girls ages 9 and up. Learn the fundamentals of dance at St. Agnes in the all new state of the art air conditioned dance studio from July 22nd to July 26th from 9am until 11am. $80 per dancer - Register before June 14 and pay $75. Cheer Camp for girls that are now entering 1st through 5th grades. Come and cheer at St. Agnes in the all new state of the art, air conditioned dance studio from August 13th to 15th Grades 1-2 from 9am to 11am & Grades 3-5 from 12pm to 2pm. $60 per cheerleader. Register early space is limited! For more information & to sign up call the school at 718-353-6276. **************************************************************************** THE BRIDGE TO LIFE The Bridge to Life is a local crisis pregnancy center that has helped thousands of women choose life. Bridge has also assisted in helping the mothers of the babies with material assistance, such as maternity clothes, baby and children s clothing, essential supplies, etc. It is because of your support that they are able to continue helping the needy families of New York City. Thank you! For additional information about where to bring your donations, please contact them at 718-463-1810. Page 11
Page 12
Page 13